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Scale Rules

Length Measures

Although shared words for units of measurement—typically body parts such as "hand" and "foot"—dated back to ancient times, the lengths of these units differed by local custom. By the 17th and 18th centuries, each European city had its own standard for length measures. Many places called this standard an "ell," although the spelling of the word varied. When this Museum opened in 1964, the curators collected original objects and reproductions to show how the mathematics of European daily life had been transported into American business and trade. One particular treasure is a pedometer made by Jacob Ramminger in Stuttgart, Germany, around 1600.

As national states unified formerly decentralized localities and as trade between different areas of Europe increased, governments made efforts to define national standards. The English lengths for the inch, foot, and yard were perhaps most prominent around the world, and they were utilized in the American colonies. In both the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution, the federal government reserved for itself the power to fix national weights and measures. Shortly thereafter, in the 1790s, scientists working for the French government developed the metric system, in which one meter represented one ten-millionth of the distance between the North Pole and the Equator. Although copies of metric standards were brought to the United States, Americans maintained a complicated relationship with the system of measurement. For instance, John Quincy Adams investigated the system in 1821; Charles Davies evaluated it again in 1867. Both men recommended that adoption of metric measurements be delayed since English units were so well established in American commerce.

In addition to examples of yard and meter standards from the 19th and 20th centuries and other efforts to promote the metric system, the collection has one of the rules Scottish Astronomer Royal Charles Piazzi Smyth distributed in an unsuccessful effort to prove that the system of measurement used by ancient Egyptians to build the pyramids correlated with the modern English system. There are also several rulers brought by the nation of Japan to the 1876 World's Fair to demonstrate its ability to adopt European units. Finally, this page contains some rules made by the notable American manufacturers Stanley and Lufkin and some rulers used in schools.

This hollow white plastic instrument has paper scales. One side has a 39-inch ruler, divided to 1/8" along the top and to 1/2" along the bottom. Alternate pairs of half-inches are colored orange on the bottom scale. The interior of this side has a recycling symbol around the number 7. The rule is marked: P.O. BOX 692 La Grange, IL 60525 SAFE-T RULERTM.

The other side is a meter stick, divided along the top to millimeters and along the bottom to centimeters. Alternate centimeters are colored blue on the bottom scale. The rule is marked: SAFE-TTM METER STICK. According to the donor, this meter stick is designed so that the straight edge is at some distance from the chalk or dry erase board.

Safe-T Products, Inc., was established in the northwest Chicago suburbs in 1992 to manufacture and sell drawing instruments that were safe for children. Thus, the plastic of this instrument is shatter-resistant. It sold for $12.95 in 2000. For company history, see 2000.0160.04.

This orange plastic ruler has a 12" scale divided to 1/16" on one edge and a 30 cm scale divided to millimeters on the other edge. The rule is marked: Fold-n-RuleTM by SAFE-TTM. It is also marked: SAFE-T PLASTICTM #43033. The shatter-resistant ruler folds in half to fit in a pocket, purse, or pencil box. It was received in clear plastic packaging with a cardboard label. According to the donor, the ruler was designed for use with an overhead projector. It sold for $1.39 in 2000.

This flexible clear plastic ruler has an 18" scale divided to 1/16" on one edge and a 45.7 cm scale divided to millimeters on the other edge. The rule is marked: VIEW-THRU TM SAFE-T Ruler® 43062 SAFE-T PLASTIC® China. The donor noted that this instrument was useful for measuring on overhead projectors and around corners.

Safe-T Products, Inc., of La Grange, Ill., was established in 1992. In 2006, the company became a subsidiary of A. Daigger & Company and its name changed to Classroom Products Warehouse. For company history, see 2000.0160.04. This object sold for $1.50 in 2000.

On one side, this 12" white plastic ruler has a scale of inches without any subdivisions along one edge and a scale of inches divided to 1/2" along the other edge. The ruler is marked: SAFE-T Products™, Inc. (/) Bensenville, IL 60106-0316. It is also marked: 4-in-1 PRIMARY SAFE-T RULER® 43032. It is also marked: SAFE-T PLASTIC®.

The other side has a scale of 30 centimeters along one edge, without any subdivisions, and a scale of inches divided to 1/4" along the other edge. This side is marked: 4-in-1 PRIMARY SAFE-T RULER® 43032. It is also marked: SAFE-T PLASTIC®.

Safe-T Products, Inc., was established in La Grange, Ill., in 1992 to make drawing instruments that were safe for children. Since model 43032 was flexible, it could also be used to measure arcs and circles. It sold for 89¢ in 2000. In 2006 Safe-T was absorbed into Classroom Products Warehouse of Vernon Hills, Ill.

On one side, this 12" rigid white plastic ruler has a scale of inches divided to 1/16" along one edge and a scale of inches divided to 1/10" along the other edge. The ruler is marked: SAFE-T Products™, Inc. It is also marked: 4-in-1 MATH SAFE-T RULER® 43031. It is also marked: SAFE-T PLASTIC®.

The other side has a scale of 30 centimeters along one edge, divided to 1/2 cm, and a scale of 30 centimeters divided to millimeters along the other edge. The interior of this side has tables of metric equivalents for English units of length, area, weights, and capacity (volume). The corners of the ruler are rounded for safety.

Safe-T Products, Inc., of La Grange, Ill., was established in 1992. In 2006 the company became a subsidiary of A. Daigger & Company and its name changed to Classroom Products Warehouse. For company history, see 2000.0160.04. Around 2000, the model number for this object was changed from 43002 to 43031. It sold for 99¢.